I'm Glad You're Home
by robert3A-SN
Summary: Spoilers for 501/502: After returning to Greendale, Jeff and Annie see how they fall right back into old patterns together, learn the worst of what happened to them after Greendale - and wish they'd been there to help the other - but finally start to feel right back at home.


**Spoilers for eps 501 and 502 of Community**

It was a wonder so many customers at Britta's bar got away with murder. Because she _still _couldn't keep a secret to save her life. Especially around alcohol, ironically.

Jeff found this easier to think about than what Britta actually told her, during their first new group party at Troanniebed's apartment. At least she waited until Annie went to the bathroom to bring up Annie's pill pushing – and sample use.

Unfortunately, Britta's poor secret keeping could still only distract Jeff for so long.

Jeff had barely thought about Annie for months – bankruptcy and a failed do-gooder law firm could have those effects. He had been ready to turn her into a bitter, Greendale hating monster just like him, without a second thought about her new life.

And yet when he heard what she'd been reduced to, the thought that kept bugging him – in that old familiar Annie way – was _"I should have been there for her."_

Britta's drinks took about 15 minutes to drown that out for the night. Which was still about 13 minutes too long, so she was still the worst.

That was an old, but easy to fall back into habit, that Jeff could live with.

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Annie was a creature of habit. Falling back into the habit of class registration was….her best relapse in a while. Even the Dean's brand of excitement was infectious as she turned in her class schedule.

At least until he mentioned Jeff's failed law firm and near bankruptcy, in between all his teacher Jeff cheers.

Annie had barely thought about Jeff for months – likely a side effect of gas leak withdrawal. In fact, she was proud of herself for not thinking about him so much sometimes, when she thought about it. The samples helped cancel out the irony.

And yet when she heard what had become of him – and how it was so bad that he actually agreed to teach here – the thought that kept bugging her was, _"I should have been there for him."_

She didn't know what she could have done. Jeff probably would have been too busy bragging that he was proof Annie's do-gooder beliefs failed in real life. Considering what she'd been doing these last few months, she probably couldn't have argued that much.

Well, that time was over now. It was time to do something noble with her life again. Or at least help someone else in a noble profession.

Maybe Annie couldn't have helped Jeff back then. It still would have been better than helping to create new Annie Adderall's. Or risking becoming one again.

Now that Annie had principles again instead, it was time to use them. Helping Jeff find his was an old habit she could live with.

Better she could make a difference for him late than never, at least.

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It was depressing how things had changed for Jeff, but had stayed completely the same - even as a teacher. Same old insanity, same old failure to slack off, same old riots, same old doing things he really wasn't supposed to bother with, same everything.

Same Annie ruining his easy lifestyle. Same Annie bugging him to do good, although he was living proof that doing good was a waste of time. Same Annie being too naïve to see how useless everything was. Same Annie driving him crazy.

Same Jeff being crazy enough to actually take her books.

Same Jeff who somehow got inspired to do…..well, _something_, after confrontations with Annie. Same Annie who made him have….less of a desire to kill himself after doing something. Without even trying in the end.

Same Jeff who ran to Annie's aid the second he saw her cry. Same Jeff who defended Annie's brilliance to even bitterer, duck-loving cynics than he was.

Same Jeff who wouldn't even consider forgiving someone unless they made things right with Annie.

Same Jeff who _tried _– and actually succeeded at something – because Annie was there.

And they called Nicholas Cage the crazy one.

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Now that the first of 13 projected Greendale riots were over, and the Student-Teacher Save Greendale Committee was off and running, Annie could feel….about five percent relaxed.

At least now that Professor Hickey was giving her A's, she could stand being in the same room with him. Even if him sitting in…._that_ study room chair wouldn't sit well for a while.

Still, that was one reformed teacher who screwed her over with minuses. What about the others? They still got off scott free for screwing her over, just because they didn't like her.

How many of her teachers felt that way? Were high school teachers in on the minus scam too? Now that Annie thought of it, she did get quite a few minuses before…..she popped some extra help so she wouldn't get them anymore.

God, they hated her for _that _long?

Hell, there might only be one teacher she knew for sure that didn't! And even he barely took it seriously!

At least until she left the classroom, apparently.

At least until he stuck up for her. Just like he used to.

At least when he bothered to do something seriously, he did it fair. Sometimes as early as the second try. But at least he saw people's real value.

Saw it when even…..others didn't see it in themselves. When they spent a long time thinking they could only be valued in one way.

It made it so new when….others stood up for her, and made her feel valuable, in ways not even family members – real or surrogate – ever cared to do for her. It made her think maybe she _was _worth more than a plus or minus grade or career.

It was sure easy to stop thinking that way again when….others weren't there anymore.

Annie owed others an apology. Then again, considering their past mockery of teaching, that was a step too far.

Still, she owed others something. Besides, they would do the same for her – eventually.

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Jeff felt relief when he came to class and Annie's seat was vacant. For about a second.

Fortunately, whatever he felt after that was forgotten a second later. If only because of what he found on his desk.

For the second time, someone had left an apple for him. This time, the culprit wasn't hanging around to dress him up and feel up his lips. This time, the culprit merely had a note below the apple.

The second Jeff took the note and saw the handwriting style, the mystery culprit was exposed. Which only spun off a few more mysteries.

They were solved too when Jeff read Annie's note.

_"Dear Mr. Winger,_

_I know you don't want to be here. I know you'd rather be a straight C teacher than anything. I know you'd rather read this on the phone. But no matter what you're doing here, or how well you're doing it – I'm glad you're home._

_Good luck winning arguments with Garrett! :)_

_Miss Edison."_

Jeff may or may not have pocketed the note. And ate the apple. And went over a few Winger speech tips with his students. He told them to take it all to their graves anyway, so he hoped he was safe.

He sure as hell made sure he was safe and alone before he stepped foot near Greendale's novelty toy and sowing class.

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Annie had no idea what to think when she saw a toy rat taped to the front of her locker. If this was Hickey getting payback for her _totally _winning today's debate on lab safety….

No, that might not be it. She couldn't see Hickey putting a letter A on a toy rat. Or taping it on the toy rat in such a sloppy way.

Only one person could combine that sloppiness and thoughtfulness.

Annie knew the smiley face wasn't a step too far, she just knew it. So maybe it wasn't a step too far to thank him in person either. Or even to do it….away from here.

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Annie was having second thoughts – which were sure nice to have the second after she knocked on Jeff's door. She hadn't actually thought about what she'd say, or how she'd explain what she was doing here. Or thought about how she hadn't been at his apartment in at least nine months.

Well, this would show those who kept telling her to wing it. Unless she got away in time. But Jeff couldn't even give her that.

When he opened the door, it sunk in that he and Annie were all alone, outside of Greendale, for the first time in nearly a year. How many times had they been alone like that in the last four years, really? Somehow, it didn't make Annie feel that much better.

It might have if she knew Jeff was thinking the same way. But she looked too awkward to notice, so Jeff figured he was safe.

"I'm sorry, I'll…." Annie prepared to retreat – until she actually looked into his apartment and went in.

Not only wasn't it decorated, it was non-existent in a few places. Even that unholy lumpy couch was gone. It was a bare bones living room, with cheap stuff all over the place. She didn't even want to know if his closet actually had any room in it now – that would have been super depressing.

Before Annie could actually ask and butt in about this, she noticed the small table nearby. And noticed a few books on it – Annie's books for Jeff.

The same books he actually took from her in a rush that first day, which was noteworthy enough. Yet she figured he just shredded them, as horrifying as that was.

There was also a notepad near those books. With actual, honest to God words. And a pen that looked like it had been used.

A pen….that looked familiar to Annie.

Because she gave it to Jeff the day he came back. And gave pens just like it to future pill addicts beforehand. Or once and almost future ones.

"You kept this?" Annie finally asked Jeff.

"Well, the shredder was rented out by Vicky, so….oh, oh you mean the pen!" Jeff was relieved to figure out. "Yeah, turns out Leonard buys pills from their biggest competition. Figured this would stick it to him. Ironic choice of words with his prescription."

Annie knew quite well that Leonard bought pills from Futurza's second biggest competitor. Even if she didn't, she could see right through Jeff. She either always did, or thought she did and lived to be humiliated by it. This….looked like the first one.

Annie didn't think she'd be proud of someone holding one of her pens again. At least Jeff got off those ego pills two years ago.

At least he was clean longer than she was.

This wasn't the time to think about that again, though. She'd done well ignoring it the whole time she worked there. So doing it when she wasn't there should be easier.

Unfortunately, she didn't do it fast enough. Once she put on a normal face and looked at Jeff, she realized she put it on too late.

Even after months apart, Annie still knew Jeff's "concerned Annie face" too well. This was on a post Model UN meltdown, pre "The way I feel about you" speech level. How would he get that way just by seeing her look at that pen?

He knew. He had to know. Stupid Britta alcohol!

So much for Jeff seeing Annie's value. Now that he knew she aided and abetted a pill pusher, _and _took their samples after years of sobriety, how could he value her now?

How could he, when she had a hard time doing it? At least during every time she thought about what she let happen to her.

At least Jeff pursued something he actually wanted to do, and tried to do it right. So what if he failed? He failed doing good for people and going after a _real_ dream. He did something Annie wished she had had the courage to do – minus the failing, of course.

But as she saw what became of his apartment because of it, she figured this wasn't the best place to convince him he didn't screw up.

Once again, Annie kept a nagging thought to herself; _"I should have helped him."_

This came 10 seconds after Jeff finally made himself stop thinking, _"I should have helped her."_

Then again, what good could he have done? Especially when doing good sucked so hard for him at the time? Hell, what good was he now, since the monster had been reawakened – and was sentenced to teaching at Greendale?!

The only time that didn't crush him completely was….when Annie inspired him to teach. And when Annie needed his help against Hickey.

And when he actually thought about Annie's rotten post-Greendale life – and how she was _still _the same old driven, go-getting, annoyingly right Annie after all. How she picked herself up from bad breaks and was determined to do better and be better, for herself _and_ for others again. For a _second _time.

Whereas as Jeff still had to be dragged kicking and screaming into it every time.

She really would have helped him at that cursed mall. She would have showed him how to be better and actually be good at it. Like she did at Greendale.

But when he remembered what Annie must have thought of herself from seeing that pen, he figured this wasn't the best time he could convince her she had that value.

Besides, she looked like she was feeling sorrier for him at the moment. It should have made Jeff ready to kick her out. As if he needed her to remind him how much his life sucked.

And yet when Jeff saw the way Annie looked at him, and felt….something for what had become of him, he didn't feel that upset. He would if anyone else looked at him like that. He'd yelled at people for looking at him with less pity at the bar.

It felt different from Annie. Just like it used to.

How the hell could they be apart for that long, and fall back into….._this _after just a week?!

Maybe after all this time, it was worth not nitpicking it. With the ways things were, maybe he couldn't afford to nitpick anything….not terrible.

Especially when Annie needed a pick me up about the past too.

"I'm sorry, too," Jeff managed to jump ahead of Annie's "I'm sorry," about a split second before she said it. The timing made Annie laugh instead of finishing her line, and Jeff even managed a chuckle too.

Annie figured she shouldn't risk it by saying anything else. The sentiment seemed to get across anyway. Still, she wished, as always, that she could do more.

She reached out to give him a hug, but stopped herself about 20 percent through. No matter how much time had passed, this was still Jeff. Even at his least grouchy and cynical, Jeff wasn't that big on such emotion. At least not when it wasn't during a study group reconciliation or after a Winger speech.

This wasn't an Annie who forgot that. Gas leak rehab – and certain words from Jeff about pre gas-leak weakness – should have taught her well.

But as Jeff saw all that on her face – how she was holding back affection just to make him feel more comfortable – he realized yet again he was a rotten teacher so far.

"Go ahead, get it out of your system," Jeff tried to sound as annoyed and resigned as possible, while still opening his arms.

Annie saw past that grouchy bravado, like always, and gave herself permission to savor a Jeff hug again.

However, when Annie put her arms around him and held him close, Jeff didn't hug back right away. The impact of his first Annie hug in so long threw him off for a second.

He forgot how much Annie hugs could throw people off. How such a small, fragile person could project so much power – and something kind of, sort of like safety – in one hug.

Likewise, Annie forgot how such a big, crushing person could project so much gentleness – and something kind of, sort of like real appreciation – in one hug.

It took them about 15 seconds before they remembered enough.

Jeff remembered more than that. He wished he didn't, but they were coming back. The reminders of how this was wrong, how he was exposing Annie to a monster, and how this would lead to evil, boozy red dress antics if he didn't shut it down - and shut her out.

Then again, he'd just spent months confirming how bad things got when she was shut out.

Then again again, with the monster out of his grave, he wouldn't just go away and promise never to destroy people again forever.

Then again again again…..things were really, really easier when that crap wasn't on Jeff's mind. _And _when she was in his life anyway.

Before he knew it, this made him say, "I could stand to be at a place that has chairs made from this decade. How about you?"

"Oh!" Annie was surprised to hear. Yet the latest version of new, improved Annie kicked back in to calmly ask, "Where did you have in mind?"

"I don't know. Coffee shop?" Jeff asked, despite how the word "restaurant" flashed through his head a second earlier. He probably wasn't ready for that kind of date-like setting anyway, of course.

"Well, if you think you've earned the study break," Annie patted herself on the back for staying playful. And for not pop quizzing him to make sure he actually studied.

"We can pretend I did. I've already learned delusion is the key to surviving this job," Jeff shared. Yet Annie gave him one of her nicer eye rolls and headed to the door with him anyway.

Jeff remembered to open the door for Annie, adding the phrase, "Miss Edison." Yet again, he cursed himself for not saying the first word that came to mind – this time, another term of endearment starting with M.

However, Annie used her newest term of endearment starting with M too - and it sounded better coming from her.

"Mr. Winger," she answered back with a dormant but still familiar smile. Jeff tried to ignore the dormant but still familiar look his face was making too.

The both of them tried to ignore another feeling as they walked off together. Of course, Jeff ignored it a lot better than Annie did - even if that dormant but still familiar .000001 percent of his brain that had _feelings _was nagging him anew.

That stupid but still clinging to life part of Jeff, and that ever persistent part of Annie, echoed the same problematic but true sentiment.

_All right – now I'm glad I'm home._


End file.
